Ep.05: 'Weathering Heights': How can we prepare our UK buildings for the effects of climate change?

Have you ever thought about how climate change affects your home and other buildings across the UK? Find out more in our latest ‘Sandbox’ episode... From heatwaves to Arctic Blasts, we’re seeing more extreme weather events than ever before – so how can we keep warm in the colder winters, and cooler during intense heat, without falling back on fossil fuels?  In our latest episode, ‘Weathering Heights: How can we prepare our UK buildings for the effects of climate change?’, our panel examines the unpredictable and constantly changing weather in the UK. Although the UK's summer of 2024 was cooler compared to previous years, June 2023 set records for heat, and 2022 saw the country’s highest temperature at 40.3°C. Globally, heatwaves have been making headlines, and it seems the weather has been surprising everyone.  In order to prepare our UK building stock for this ever-changing weather and the continued effects of climate change, our guests discuss the situation at hand and propose potential solutions, from SMART technology, to retrofitting our existing buildings, to heating and cooling networks and efficient energy conservation.   Our panel also discusses the role the individual can play to help mitigate the effects of climate change across our buildings in the UK, through mutual cooperation, building physics education and introducing more sustainable energy sources into our everyday lives.    Joining our regular host Andy Duncan in this episode, are Buro Happold experts Lara Balazs, Cities Energy Associate, and Tom Newby, Director, Structures. Our special guest in this episode is Smith Mordak, Chief Executive at UKGBC and an architect, engineer, and writer, who regularly contributes to national and trade press including the Guardian, Financial Times, Dezeen, and The Architect’s Journal.  Subscribe to the whole series; Sometimes we’ll tackle a subject head on, sometimes a sideways view - but always with curiosity, expertise and maybe even a dash of humour.  This podcast series is brought to you by Buro Happold (https://buro.im/SandboxPodcast).